Rosalie Neufeld

Rosalie Ann Neufeld was born in Hillsboro, KS to Adolf J. and Olga Brandt Bartel on October 5, 1939. Together with older brother Gladwin, she grew up on a farm southwest of Hillsboro. In that home, she had the usual pets among yard animals, helped with chores, and learned to drive the tractor for field work.

Rosalie was baptized into membership at the Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church near Goessel, Kansas in June 1954, retaining membership there until the family settled in North Newton, KS in 1970.

Rosalie attended the nearby country school and then Hillsboro High School, where she graduated at the top of her class. There was always a piano in the home; she took piano lessons and played clarinet in the high school band.

In 1957, Rosalie enrolled in a secretarial studies program at Bethel College. Having completed an Associate in Arts degree in 1959, she spent the next year working in the Mennonite Central Committee offices in Akron, PA. She returned to Bethel College as secretary to President Vernon Neufeld, a position that she held for three years before returning to Bethel as a student in preparation for high school teaching in the business area, doing student teaching in Wichita and graduating from Bethel in 1965.

In the meantime, Rosalie's brother Gladwin returned to Bethel as a junior mathematics major and learned to know fellow major Bob Neufeld from Inman. As the two studied together, Neufeld was surprised to see Rosalie's picture in the Bartel apartment. Both fellow mathematics majors graduated in 1961 and began teaching mathematics, Bartel in Newton, and Neufeld in Emporia.

Somewhere in those years, Bob started making more visits to the Bethel Presidential office, receiving warm welcomes even though Pres. Neufeld wasn't in. Rosalie and Bob were married at the Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church on July 2, 1965. That summer, they lived in Inman, moving to Ames, Iowa in fall, where Bob would be studying at Iowa State University. Rosalie had been applying for teaching positions but it was difficult while she was still in Kansas. Instead, she took a position in an Ames law office where she worked until their son Keith was born in October, 1968. The family moved back and forth between Kansas and Iowa once more, with Bob teaching two years at Bethel, and Kevin being born in Iowa in 1971.

The family purchased a home on West 24th in North Newton, within sight of the (then) location of the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Central States office. Rosalie began working there part-time after the sons were both in elementary school. From her desk, she could see when they came home from school. Once the sons got a bit older, she took a second part-time position in the North Newton City Office and with the Police Court there.

Rosalie's Bethel training had not prepared her well for the introduction of computers into the workplace so she discreetly began taking night classes to build up those skills. By that time, she was working full time in the present location of MCC Central States. Bob remembers spending long evenings at the office with her as she worked her way into becoming proficient in that world. She retired from that position in April 2006. After retirement, Rosalie filled in at various times at the receptionist station at Kidron Bethel Village retirement community, even being asked about taking the position. She also helping out quite regularly with mailings for the Western District Conference offices.

In the late 1990s, the Flatlander Bike Ride began as a fundraiser and Rosalie became more involved in assisting, eventually taking over the registration process. She enjoyed the people that she met and worked with through that project and would often be seen wearing one of those distinctive tee shirts.

Having joined Faith Mennonite Church in December 1970, Rosalie was active in numerous church positions, including the Library Committee, what was then Mission Circle (now TIM), teaching some Sunday School with younger children, and helping with Wednesday night meals as a member of the Board of Fellowship.

Rosalie's mother and brother both died with Parkinson's and we feared it might strike her. It was almost exactly five years ago when that diagnosis was confirmed. Additionally she had severe arthritis and had some falls at home. After a fall in September, 2023, she was largely confined to a recliner at home until moving into healthcare, first at Paramount in Newton, then into Kidron Bethel in September of 2024. Care there has been excellent while pain management continued to be a challenge. On Friday, April 4, she died peacefully in her room with family by her side.

Rosalie is survived by husband Bob; sons Keith and Kevin; nephews Barry Bartel, Kelvin Bartel, and their families; in-laws Helen and Vern Jantz; and a number of additional nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, brother and sister-in-law Gladwin and Lois Bartel, and several in-laws. A memorial service is being planned for May 17 at 11 a.m. at Faith Mennonite Church in Newton.